Celebrate the holiday season with a visit to see Guinness World Record-holding giant snow sculptures at Asahikawa Snow Festival, or take a romantic walk around Hirosaki Castle, where snow lanterns made by citizens light up the paths.

Bōnenkai
Literally meaning “a session to forget the year”, these annual year-end parties are usually observed by co-workers and sponsored by a company for their employees.

As implied by its name, the gathering is to forget the troubles of the past year before moving into the new year on a clean slate. Started in the 15th century as a party to express thanks, it has evolved to the bōnenkai Japanese hold today, with copious amounts of alcohol!

Toshikoshi soba
The word toshikoshi (年越し) means to jump over from the old year to the new.

Enjoyed on the eve of New Year, each strand is easily bitten off and symbolise a clean break from the old year. The long, thin shape is also associated with a long and healthy life, so why not spend this New Year’s Eve soba instead?